Jericho's Predicament
by Very-Bored-Anon
Summary: "Here he was, blindfolded and cuffed with thick metal gloves that covered from his elbow to the tips of his fingers, being carried by Monsieur Mallah with Madame Rouge by his side to the Brotherhood of Evil's secret base, all because he couldn't get himself to confess his feelings to Herald." One-shot for New Year's Day.


**Jericho's Predicament**

Jericho thought of how he'd gotten into this mess. Here he was, blindfolded and cuffed with thick metal gloves that covered from his elbow to the tips of his fingers, being carried by Monsieur Mallah with Madame Rouge by his side, to the Brotherhood of Evil's secret base, all because he couldn't get himself to confess his feelings to Herald.

It all started when Robin partnered him with Herald. Jericho liked Herald since the day they'd taken the Brotherhood of Evil down. Herald was a musician, which was one of the things that drew Jericho to him. Herald also liked to visit him on the mountains too, and Herald would transport them down to roam the towns and villages, stopping thieves and small crimes on the way. Being partnered together made it even better for Jericho because it meant he'll be closer to Herald.

But the problem was that Jericho always wondered if Herald ever felt the same about him. He always wanted to ask, but feared jeopardizing their current relationship. Jericho would try to show hints of his feelings to Herald by holding his hand, or resting his head on Herald's shoulder. But Herald never suspected anything about it and seemed cool with whatever Jericho did. Jericho was fine with that.

Then, New Year's arrived. Everyone's come up with their resolutions for the upcoming year, and Jericho had decided on his too. Jericho decided to come clean about his feelings about Herald. He was going to go up to that guy and sign to him: _I like you._ To spice things up a little, Herald had taken them to Paris, France to sightsee.

So, they were just at the top of the Eiffel Tower, looking down at Paris. It was a beautiful place, a great place to confess. Jericho was only an inch away from Herald and was going to tug his sleeve to get his attention when Herald spoke.

"So, have ya got any new year resolutions?" he asked, facing Jericho because he'll have to watch him sign out his reply.

'_Well…'_ Jericho signed out slowly, hesitantly. _'I have… _one_.'_

"Really?" Herald said, looking excited. "Well, what is it?"

_This is it_, Jericho thought. He prepared to sign out his intended message, only to have signed out: _'What's yours, first?'_

Jericho mentally slapped himself.

"_My_ resolution?" Herald repeated aloud, surprised. He turned away and up at the sky, thinking. "Well… I guess… A girlfriend, maybe?"

Jericho flinched. Herald didn't notice and went on.

"I mean, I really _should_, right?" he said, laughing awkwardly to himself. "With everyone pairing off like that, it'd be embarrassing not to have a date of my own too. Right, Jericho? …Jericho?"

Herald turned to Jericho only to find him crying silently. Herald reached out to touch Jericho only to his hand batted away. Jericho then possessed a dove that was flying by, and flew away.

"Jericho?!" Herald called out, shocked, but Jericho ignored him.

Later, while sobbing on a building, Jericho was found by Madame Rouge, who instantly covered his eyes to prevent him from using his powers. Then, Mallah came and bound him, and thus, explains how he'd gotten into this predicament.

Throughout the trip to the base, Jericho wondered how he was going to get out of this. His communicator had been confiscated, so the Titans can't locate him, and unless someone removes his blindfold and is not protecting their eyes, he can't possess anyone to escape. He can't even fight with those huge handcuffs, if _that's _what you want to call them. Jericho was in really deep trouble.

Then, he felt Mallah stop. Had they arrived at the base?

Jericho's blindfold was pulled off and he comes face to face with the other two members of the Brotherhood of Evil: General Immortus, and the Brain. General Immortus was wearing a pair of black goggles, which prevented Jericho from possessing him.

So, _yes_, they have arrived at the base.

"**I had not expected that we'd capture a Teen Titan so quickly since our liberation,"** said the Brain. **"What surprises me more is why **_**this**_** particular Titan is in Paris. Were you sightseeing, child?"**

Jericho nodded slowly, watching the Brain warily. The Brain continued.

"**We would really love to freeze you, but the machine is down unfortunately, so we'll just put you in a cell,"** the organ said.

And that's what they did. They threw Jericho into a room with white plaster walls, and white tiled floors which reminded Jericho of a sanatorium. There was only a plastic toilet bowl at one corner of the room, nothing else. Jericho still had his huge handcuffs. He watched as Mallah left and locked the door.

Jericho just sat there with his legs crossed, waiting to be rescued. Surely Herald would be searching for him right now. Jericho started crying again.

After he's found, Herald would surely question his earlier actions, and how was he going to answer? He couldn't just sign, _'I wanted to confess my love for you but it turns out you'd rather have a _girl_ than a _boy_ so I got mad and left.'_ Okay, maybe he _could_ but that just didn't seem right, and if he _does_ confess his feelings, Herald would obviously reject him and things would grow awkward between them. Jericho doesn't want that!

"_Children_, always crying."

Jericho snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. Madame Rouge was looking down at him. She was wearing the black goggles too.

"All because of a _boy_, isn't it?" she said condescendingly. "I've always _knew_ that you were the type who preferred men over women. _Disgusting!_" she added with spite.

Jericho frowned and mouthed, _'I'm bi.' _Madame Rouge simply snorted.

"But that doesn't hide that you like _that_ boy," she said. "The Herald, was it? Yes, he is handsome, no doubt. But of course he would have a _girl_friend rather than a _boy_friend as adorable as you."

Jericho looked down and tried to shut out her voice. But Madame Rouge knelt in front of him and forced him to look at her.

"I was watching you since you and that trumpet player arrived," she said. "I saw how you wanted to share that chocolate crêpe with him, and how you blushed when he ate the part where you'd bitten off. I saw how you would look at the roses. I saw how you tried so hard to intertwine your fingers with his. I watched the two of you go up the Eiffel Tower and how you left. I even heard him shout at you. You want him _bad_; _anyone_ could see that, even with goggles as thick as these."

Jericho tried to pull away but Madame Rouge's grip on him was strong. He knew that the flexible shape-shifter's words were true. He really did like Herald, but unlike most hard-core crushers, he didn't act obsessive. Madame Rouge was still talking.

"You want him to _love_ you too, to _touch_ you, _kiss_ you," she went on.

Okay, _that_ was only _partly_ true. The part about wanting Herald to love him and kiss him was true, not the touching part, unless Madame Rouge had meant holding hands or hugs or cuddles.

"You want his hands on you, no?" Madame Rouge asked him, smirking.

Slowly, her featured changed—her skin darkened, her jaw squared, her height diminished slightly, and her clothes changed. Madame Rouge was now the Herald. Jericho's breath hitched. What was this madwoman going to do to him?

Madame Rouge moved her hand down to Jericho's neck and slowly pulled down his turtleneck collar. Jericho gasped and tried to move away, but that just made her drag it down faster, finally revealing his hidden scar. It was large and jagged and stretched from his neck to his collarbone. Madame Rouge smirked as Jericho seemed to let out a silent whimper.

"That's a very bad scar you have there," she cooed, using Herald's voice which only made things worse for him because he really felt like he was with Herald.

Madame Rouge traced the scar with her finger, making Jericho shudder. She went closer and licked the scar. Jericho gasped silently and began trembling as Madame Rouge continued. Her hands move down to his body, teasing him. Jericho began to struggle. Madame Rouge reached one hand up into his soft golden curls and tugged at them, forcing him to bend his head backwards. She bit into his neck, leaving a small but visible mark there. Then, she let go of Jericho's head.

Jericho was beginning to cry again. He was being _violated_ by a supervillain, who made herself look like his boy he loved.

Then, Madam Rouge pressed a knee at Jericho's crotch, making him flinch. He tried to move away, but Madame Rouge put her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to stay at that spot as she puts more pressure. She slid a hand up to his chest, reaching under his purple tunic. Jericho's turtleneck was very thick to protect him from the cold breezes at the summit of the mountain, but it was not thick enough to hide that his nipples had perked up slightly with excitement.

"You're turned on, aren't you?" Madame Rouge asked while playing with one of his nipples. With Herald's voice, she had excited Jericho further. He was panting now and his face was flushed.

She reached up and held Jericho's face and brought it close. Jericho's eyes widened. He knew _exactly _what she was going to do, and he doesn't want it to happen. But he was bound and tired. He had no strength.

Madame Rouge kissed him, hard, that was what Jericho wanted to believe but deep down, he was visualising Herald doing this to him, that it was _really_ him. He felt Madame Rouge slip her tongue in which made Jericho fight harder, but was easily supressed by her strength.

Jericho doesn't want this. Even if it was Herald, he didn't like the roughness of it.

_Please_, he thought to himself, _please hurry up and find me…!_

Suddenly, there was a loud blaring noise. Madame Rouge immediately let go of Jericho and returned to her original appearance. She cursed and left the room.

Jericho was left there panting. He gagged a few times, feeling the urge to vomit after what happened earlier. Then, he wondered, _What's happening now?_

He realized the Teen Titans must've found him. Jericho cheered inwardly. He could hear the sound of people fighting and cries of rage. Then, the door of his room was knocked down by… Red Star!

"Jericho!" the red Russian said, sounding relieved. "You are okay! Do not worry. Herald is going to bring you out."

Red Star turned away and jumped back into battle. Jericho's happiness diminished slightly. Herald was going to get him? Jericho didn't feel ready to meet with him again, not after what happened earlier.

_But that wasn't Herald! _he told himself. _That was that madwoman pretending to be him!_

But Jericho couldn't rid the memory of her actions from his mind. He wished that he had never been captured in the first place so that he wouldn't have gone through that.

"Jericho!"

Jericho looked up and saw Herald rushing towards him. Jericho was painfully reminded of the earlier actions of Madame Rouge. Having Herald so close to him made him remember the kiss she'd given him.

"I was so worried," Herald said. "Don't worry, Jer. I'm getting you outta here. We're going to the Titans North Tower."

He held out his trumpet and blew into it. A portal opened up. Herald carried Jericho bridal style and jumped into the portal. They were now in a medical bay. Herald put Jericho down gently on a bed and used a scalpel to pick the lock on the giant hancuffs to free Jericho's hands. Jericho squirmed throughout the process.

"Jericho!" Herald said, annoyed. "Keep still. I'm trying to free you."

Jericho tried to calm himself down and keep his arms still. Finally, he was freed. The first thing Jericho did with his hands was hug his body defensively. He backed away from Herald.

"Jericho?" Herald said, moving closer, but Jericho kept moving away. "Jericho, why are you avoiding me?"

Jericho didn't reply. He just looked away. Herald got annoyed. He reached out a hand. Jericho noticed and avoided it. Herald reached out both and gripped both Jericho's shoulders. This made Jericho start struggling.

"Jericho!" Herald said, trying to hold him still. "Jericho— _Enough!_"

Jericho flinched, and stilled. He looked at Herald with frightened, teary eyes. Herald's expression softened.

"_God_, Jericho," Herald said softly. "What _happened_ back there?"

Jericho shook his head, telling Herald, _'I don't want to talk about it.'_

"You can't _not_ talk about it!" Herald said. "It'll just make it worst."

Herald bit his lip for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Does this have something to do with back at the Eiffel Tower?"

At that moment, Jericho blushed deeply. Herald let go of him and asked, "You can't hide all of this from us—from _me_. How am I supposed to understand if you don't tell me?"

Jericho slowly signed, _'I don't know how to sign it out.'_

Herald stared at him for a moment before leaving the room. Then, he came back with an A4 sized whiteboard, a purple marker, and a small whiteboard duster.

"Here," he said as he put it into Jericho's hands.

Jericho opened the marker and wrote slowly and hesitantly. He flipped the board. He had written: **Madame Rouge did weird things to me back at the base.**

"Weird things?" Herald repeated curiously. "Mind specifying?" he asked.

Jericho, again hesitantly, wrote: **She shape-shifted into ****you**** and touched me.**

"Touched… you?" Herald repeated as everything ticked together. "She shape-shifted into me… and touched you…?" His cheeks burnt bright red as he finally understood. "What?! EW! Why?!"

**Because I liked you**—was what Jericho written in response.

"Huh?" Herald said, tilting his head sideways with confusion.

Jericho wrote out slowly: **I've always wanted to tell you. Back at the Eiffel Tower, I wanted to confess my feelings to you.**

"You… like me?" Herald said slowly as he processed this.

It definitely explained why Jericho was so upset back on the Eiffel Tower. Herald liked Jericho too, but he never tried to cross the line of **FRIENDS**. He never thought Jericho would actually fall in love with him. Maybe he had _some_ feelings for Jericho. After all, they were really close and tend to cuddle once in a while. Okay, maybe _that_ wasn't what friends _normally_ do, but they're not really normal in the first place.

Herald snapped out of his thoughts when Jericho wrote another message: **Even if you don't like me in ****that**** way, I still want to be your friend. I'm not going to be jealous if you get a girlfriend.**

Suddenly, Herald pushed the board aside and hugged Jericho. Jericho flinched again, thinking about his earlier confinement, before melting into the hug.

"Jericho," Herald said, "why would I need a girlfriend when I already have someone like you?"

Jericho blushed slightly, and hid his face behind Herald's shoulder. He then reached for the whiteboard again and wrote another message.

**So, you're okay with dating me?**—it read.

"Well, why not?" Herald said, smiling. "Maybe it'll be a bit weird with the others, but I'm sure we're not the only ones. I heard Speedy and Aqualad are together."

Jericho silently laughed at that. Then, he leant forward at Herald. Herald got the message and kissed Jericho. The kiss was soft, delicate, _gentle_; unlike Madame Rouge's.

Jericho didn't flinch at all.

***END***


End file.
